


When in College

by snoaz



Category: 2NE1, Big Bang (Band), K-pop, YG Entertainment | YG Family
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-03-30 05:24:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3924505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snoaz/pseuds/snoaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Double Dates are confusing. You might just end up falling for the wrong person.  gtop / chaera college au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Double Date

**Author's Note:**

> As the summary says: this will play out as a gtop / chaera fic, but there are hints of other pairings. Also: college au. Never thought I'd write that (normally I'm much more into canon stuff) but here you go! 
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy! Feedback is always appreciated. ♡

 

  
It was an early Wednesday in October, as ordinary as those days come, yet Jiyong was feeling _good_. And a little excited.  
  
“Chaerin-ah, you got any plans tonight?” Jiyong called as he stepped into the living room of their shared apartment, hair slightly windswept and clothes the usual seemingly thrown together (yet carefully thought out, make no mistake) mix of trendy-meets-artsy-meets-street.  
  
Chaerin looked up from where she was lounging on the couch, a skeptic look on her face that did not particularly resemble Jiyong's excitement.  
  
“Not anything you'll be doing, likely. I've seen enough bland college parties to last a lifetime, thanks.” She shortly inspected her polished nails, then added, “ _But_ if you're looking for a quiet night on the couch with _Friends_ and ramen, you're welcome to join of course.”  
  
Jiyong rolled his eyes as he shook off his jacket. “I'd say you've seen enough of those nights as well.”  
  
He winced only slightly at the expression she shot him, then exclaimed, “Yah, we're in college! You know that any nights locked inside are a waste.” He clapped his hands and finally announced with the air of someone who had the solution to all their minor problems: “I got us a double date.”  
  
There was a long pause.

Then Chaerin said, “You're not asking me out, are you?”  
  
“Eh?” Jiyong actually had to laugh at that, ruffling his hair into an even messier hairdo, as was his unfortunate habit. He'd planned on hitting the shower later anyway, so no problem. “Clearly you _do_ need to get out more, Chaerin,” he then replied. “A double date means we each go on a date with a different person, _but_ with the four of us. So it's like, a date within a friend-date. Sort of.”  
  
He drummed his fingers on the counter he was leaning against, and then added with a slightly sheepish expression, “What's so bad about the idea of me asking you out anyway?”  
  
“But then what's the point of making it four rather than two?” Chaerin remarked, deftly ignoring his last question.  
  
“To make it less awkward? If your date turns out to be a creep, you can fall back on me here.” He pointed two thumbs at himself and had an eyebrow raised in expectation, but Chaerin – as much impressed with his 'I'm a strong man yo' act as ever – ignored it.  
  
“All right,” she sighed, “I suppose it's true I could go out a little bit more... and see a little bit less of the couch, _comfortable_ though it may be.”  
  
“Yeah, and don't wear those sweatpants.”  
  
“Tsk, I _know_ how to impress a guy, trust me.” She stood up, then asked, “What kind of guy are we talking about anyway? Do you even know him?”  
  
“Seungri said he looks like an actor.”  
  
“Seungri says a lot of things,” Chaerin countered, but was pleased enough anyway. “All right, let's do this. I'm going to woo this actor guy and you're going to...”  
  
“ – make an impression on my 'super cute, super pretty' date,” Jiyong finished, talking as though he was quoting someone (Seungri again, most likely.)  
  
“Of course,” Chaerin grinned, “I know you will, hyung.”

 

 

 

They'd planned to arrive at the café shortly after their dates, but as it turned out they were the early ones. Jiyong reasoned it did have its upsides to not be fashionably late for once, however.  
  
“Probably makes a better impression anyway. After all, _gentlemen are always on time_ ,” Jiyong announced to no-one in particular, quoting from some movie or another though he wasn't sure which.

Next to him Chaerin snorted as she casually studied the menu. “Well, you _do_ look very fetching. I hope your date likes customised dinner jackets.”

“I hope she just likes me,” he confessed before thinking (one of his less favourite habits) and quickly signaled for the waitress that walked by their table.

Okay, so perhaps he was embarrassingly excited for this date.

They ordered two coffees and had just taken their first sip (Chaera black, Jiyong with extra sugar) when he noticed someone approaching them. One look told him this must be his date, because she was cute and super pretty and, well – he'd have to thank Seungri later.

“You must be Jiyong?” the girl said as she reached their table, voice sounding like she could do radio commercials.

“Indeed I am,” Jiyong replied and, feeling flirtatious, flashed her his cheeky welcoming grin. (He'd practiced.)

The girl blushed slightly and then nodded, a smile on her face.

“I'm Sandara, but you can call me Dara,” she introduced herself, “whatever you prefer.”

“Dara is just fine I think,” Jiyong said and indicated for her to sit down.

As she took the seat opposite him, Jiyong sneaked a glance to his right and saw Chaerin with a very rare, very pleased look on her face (rather like the cat just ate the canary.) One look at her newly arrived date told him why, because _well_.

He wasn't the only lucky one tonight.

Despite wearing a mauve jacket (mauve, _really_?) the actor qualities of Chaerin's mystery date couldn't be denied. Tall, lean body and enviably handsome face: Seungri should start a matchmaking business if college didn't work out.

 

 

Dara was as charming as Seungri had described her to him. She had an enticing smile which she showed often and enthusiastically, perhaps all the more so because she had declared early on to be quite nervous (“this is my first date in a long while, you have to tell me if I do something weird.”)

Apart from some jokes Jiyong didn't get (though Dara assured him that they really were funny once you did) there was nothing weird going on, and everything went as a first date should go: asking questions, listening to the responses, getting a question in return, trying to answer it as interestingly as possible (“I'm an inspiring musician” sounded better than “I'm stuck in college while I really want to do music”). Dara said she wanted to do something with advertising or pr, which didn't surprise Jiyong because he thought anyone would fall for that innocently pretty face and ditto voice.

As he sipped from his coffee, and soon after that his beer, he now and then glanced to his right where Chaerin and her mystery date had a conversation that seemed to take turns being very engaging and then quite dead. Chaerin had soon switched to wine, and her cheeks had become a little bit rouge like they always did when she drank. It made her look charming and more approachable, even though she'd dismiss it if you ever mentioned that. He noticed that her date, too, was drinking red wine which he thought was mildly interesting because most guys he knew were solid beer types. Then again, the mauve jacket (and the exceptionally handsome face) should have indicated that he was not Most Guys.

As Chaerin said something apparently funny, a dimpled smile showed on the guy's face. Jiyong's mouth corners inadvertently lifted up too, before Dara's voice brought him back to reality.

“So is Seungri a friend of you too, then?” She looked at him questioningly, though he didn't know if it was because of the actual question or the fact that he'd just let his attention wander to the table next to them. Well, you couldn't blame a guy for wanting to know how his friend was doing.

He emptied the last bit of his beer and then said, “Yeah, I've known him for a while now. He's nice, when he's not making a nuisance of himself.”

“Nuisance? Perhaps we've met different versions,” Dara laughed. “We're in some of the same classes, that's how we know each other. And then this week he sat down and asked how I'd feel about a blind date.” She let fall a meaningful pause. “Well, I couldn't say no after hearing your description.”

Curiosity sparked instantly. “Oh? What did he say to you?”

Dara looked like she wouldn't say anything, but he gave her his best pleading stare (which Chaerin described as pathetic but which he knew was irresistible) and Dara finally cracked.

“Well, he said you were very cool, and charming, and cute. And talented. And I'd like you.”

Jiyong blinked. Then he said with a pleased smile he couldn't prevent if he tried, “Okay, I suppose Seungri isn't a nuisance after all. What more do you need than a good friend, right?”

Dara laughed. “Yes. Your friend seems very cool, too,” she added. “Seunghyun's date, I mean.”

Jiyong nodded in agreement, mentally filing away that Mystery Man in Mauve Jacket was in fact named Seunghyun. “Yes. Chaerin. The height of cool, she is.” _When she isn't doing Friends rewatches in her sweats,_ he mentally added but thought she'd probably kill him if he broke that news to someone.

Then again, Chaerin would never know.

“She's addicted to _Friends_ ” Jiyong confided, “and likes to spend her nights on the couch doing rewatches.”

Dara stole a glance at Chaerin and smiled suddenly. “Oh, I love _Friends._ Rachel is my favourite.”

Jiyong accepted with a sigh that he had still found no companion in his apathy towards _Friends_ marathons and signaled the waitress for another beer.

 

 

 

"So, how did you like your date?”

It was shortly after eleven and the both of them were languidly walking the pavement to their apartment, neither in a particular hurry to get there.

“Hmm? It wasn't too bad, I suppose.”

Jiyong grinned, soon turning into a full laugh: the aftereffects of a First Date Well Executed. “ _Wasn't too bad_? Ah Chaerin-ah, you're never pleased. You just don't want to admit Seungri did something right.”

Chaerin rolled her eyes. “Well, it cannot be denied that he was very good-looking, even with the weird... purple-ish... jacket.”

Jiyong's grin widened. “I thought you liked men with outspoken styles.”

“Well, it'd have to qualify as style first.”

He snorted. “Well, _Sandara Park_ was very nice. And lovely dressed.”

“Yes, I liked her jacket. It's from Carven.”

Of course it was.

“You're quite observant.”

She flipped her hair. “ _Skills_. Now first let's get a bite to eat because a girl can't live on wine and coffee alone.”

 

 

 

The next morning, after a late-night kebab dinner and then an even more late-night _Friends_ marathon (Chaerin insisted that he owed her for joining him on his double date, a statement that seemed utterly ridiculous to Jiyong but was at least more appealing than starting on his ten-page essay that was due the day after tomorrow) they both felt reasonably tired, but nicely so.

There was a difference between being tired from studying all night or because you happened to have a social life.

Well, and a friend who forced you to sit out re-watches of her favourite show.

Jiyong lounged on his kitchen chair, drowning his second cup of coffee (nothing quite like it on a bleary Thursday morning) as he simultaneously checked his smartphone.

“Oh, a text from Sandara,” Jiyong said with pleasant surprise, scrolling down the screen.

“I wasn't aware you'd exchanged numbers.” Chaerin critically examined her reflection in the mirror as she applied her lipstick and then smacked her lips.

In terms of getting ready in the morning, she always won by about an hour and a half.

“Well, obviously, if we wanted to go on a second date...” He turned away from his phone to look at her. “Don't tell me you haven't?”

“Well, it's not like _he_ asked for it,” she responded, a tad defensive suddenly.

“Maybe he's as much of a technology noob as you. Match made in heaven in that case...” He turned back to his phone. “ _Or not,”_ he added as an afterthought, thinking of all the time he spent explaining base computer stuff to Chaerin and not fancying doing that once more.

She flipped her hair, indication that she considered the topic closed.

“So you're going on a second date with this Sandara then?”

“No, the text just asks whether we've accidentally taken her scarf because she can't find it anywhere. It's red, says here.”

He looked questioningly at Chaerin. She gave a small shrug.

“All right, so that's a no, then,” he said and typed a reply.

“She probably left it at the café,” Chaerin remarked, tone businesslike like always when there were problems to be solved. “I'm passing it on my way to class, I could check.”

Jiyong looked up. “Really?”

“Yeah. You just stay in here all day doing nothing.”

“I have a paper to write!” he protested faintly, though obviously Chaerin was right.

Darn it.

“Oh, new reply,” Jiyong said just as Chaerin picked up her bag to head out of the door. “Wow, I don't think I've ever seen so many emojis. Look at this.”

He held the phone out for her and she looked at it with a frown. “I don't understand what any of those mean.”

“They're cute,” he explained.

“Whatever,” she countered and headed out of the door.

  
  
  
  
As it turned out, Sandara had reached the same idea as her. Just as Chaerin arrived at yesterday's café she noticed the other girl exit from it, a slightly sullen look on her face.

“Oh, Sandara!” she called in order to catch her attention.

The other girl looked up, and the disappointment on her face made way for surprise.

“Seunghyun's date! Sorry, I mean, Chaerin. That's a coincidence!”

“I actually went here for the same reason as you, to look for your scarf. Jiyong-hyung explained.”

“That's very kind of you.” The morning sun made Dara's hair gleam in places, patches of light on otherwise dark chestnut. It promised to be one of those perfect, crispy days that autumn expertized in.

“I was passing here on my way to class anyway,” Chaerin dismissed the compliment, and then added, “so did you find it?”

“Unfortunately, no. I assume someone else must have taken it.”

“You shouldn't let your stuff lie around like that, you have to keep an eye on it,” Chaerin remarked with a concerned frown, before realising she probably sounded like a nagging mother.

Some habits died hard. Living with Jiyong who had his head in the clouds more often than not called for a practical mindset.

But Dara inclined her head in agreement. “Yes, I know. My roommates keep saying the same.”

Chaerin cleared her throat, feeling slightly embarrassed somehow. “Well, I'm sure everyone is just concerned.”

Redirecting her attention from the girl's face to her outfit, she noticed that this time she was dressed in an auburn dress or skirt (she couldn't be sure because of the coat) with tights and a pair of ankle boots underneath. It was less formal than the outfit she wore on yesterday's date, but Chaerin decided she liked it. It suited her somehow.

“Seunghyun said you're majoring in design?”

The question took her mind off clothes and back to the present conversation. “Oh, you two have been talking about me, then?” Chaerin asked, not knowing whether to be pleased or not.

Sandara for one decidedly looked more giggly than guilty. “Well, of course, that's what you do after a date. Don't worry though, he only said nice stuff about you. Seunghyun's like that.”

“How do you two know each other anyway?”

Chaerin didn't add 'are you by any chance related?' because good looks alone weren't basis enough for that assumption. Even if those looks happened to be of the 'stunning' category.

“We live in the same building, and we took a class together once. He's really very nice,” she added.

“Well, you really _are_ in pr, aren't you?”

“Aha, so Jiyong also has been talking about me!” Sandara concluded with a slightly victorious smile and, well – Chaerin wasn't sure what to say to that.

(“He thinks your emojis are cute” didn't seem to cut it somehow.)

“Listen, I have to go now if I don't want to be late for class, but I'll see you around?”

“Yeah, I hope so!”

Chaerin blinked, taken aback by the enthusiasm it was said in, but then smiled. “Well, all right. Have a good day then.”

Sandara returned the smile. “You too! And thanks again for the help.”

Chaerin strangely felt like smiling until the next street corner, a rare, if not unheard of, occurrence on early Thursday mornings. Then again: it was a beautiful autumn day indeed.

 

 

Jiyong was heading home after one of his more boring classes when he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Taller than most, Seunghyun stood out even when wearing the most inconspicuous of blue hoodies.

He debated for a second whether to approach him or not, because it was not like they talked much during their double date and he doubted whether Seunghyun even remembered him. But – why not? And so he walked up to him.

“Hey,” he greeted, his smile probably conveying his slight awkwardness.

“Oh, hey! Jiyong, right?” Seunghyun answered with a smile of his own, and Jiyong felt weirdly relieved and pleased that not only did Seunghyun recognise his face, he'd also remembered his name.

“Yeah! So, fellow college student then?” he asked, already well aware of that particular fact thanks to Chaerin's brief run-through the other night, but it was as good an opener as any, so.

“Yep,” Seunghyun answered and gestured to his hoodie where the university's emblem was printed on the front. “Actually, I'm just wearing this one because it's comfy.”

Jiyong grinned. “More comfy than a purple suit,” he quipped and immediately mentally berated himself because normal people didn't remember stuff like that.

But Seunghyun just laughed: “You gotta make an impression, right?”

Jiyong found out in the next fifteen minutes as they walked away from campus and the bustle of students, that Seunghyun was one of the easiest people to talk to he'd ever met. In fact, it felt like he'd known him for years rather than minutes which was weird, because Seunghyun was _also_ one of the quirkiest people he'd ever met (that much became obvious even in the short amount of time they spent together) nor did he himself share any of Seungri's enviable social skills that magically turned conversations with strangers smooth and natural.

Still, somehow, it worked.

“So, you want to be a writer, then?” Jiyong asked as Seunghyun told him he was majoring in English.

“You mean drinking twelve cups of coffee a day and wearing old-man's glasses?” Seunghyun quipped.

Jiyong laughed before Seunghyun became serious and elaborated: “I just like inventing something from scratch, you know? Creating things. Stories, with nothing but words.”

His voice had gained a certain passion and Jiyong nodded silently because yeah, he did know what that was like: creating something that was your own, sprouted from nothing but your imagination.

“What about you?”

“I'm doing media management, but I suck at it, honestly.” He laughed. “I'd much rather do music.”

They'd come to a halt at a street corner, the gentle October wind blowing leaves across the pavement. Jiyong put his hands in his pockets, thinking he ought to start wearing warmer clothes soon. He always was a bit reluctant to bid his summer wardrobe good-bye.

“You play any instruments?”

Seunghyun regarded him from underneath a slightly messy fringe and for the first time Jiyong noticed how deep his eyes really were. It took a second before he replied, “– well, a bit, but it's mostly songwriting, really. The guitar and keyboard are there to accompany me, so to speak.”

He laughed slightly embarrassedly, thinking that just sounded lame, but Seunghyun didn't seem to think so. “You should show me sometime,” he said, and Jiyong thought he probably wouldn't, but – who knew.

Might be kinda nice.

“Listen, I gotta go that way, but I'll see you around, yeah?” The other guy waited a second before smiling and adding, slightly awkwardly, “It was nice running into to you.”

“Yeah, same,” Jiyong breathed, and felt oddly disappointed at the sight of Seunghyun turning around.

“Hey, wait –” he started, barely realising he'd spoken before Seunghyun turned to look at him again. “Ehm – Chaerin said you hadn't exchanged numbers, so maybe you could give your number to me? And I could give it to her? In case you want to meet up again...?”

He trailed off, feeling that this impulse had indeed been a Mistake.

Seunghyun, however, fished his phone out of his back pocket (who still kept their phone in that place?) and handed it to Jiyong.

“Sure, you can add it in there.”  
  
Not knowing whether he meant his or Chaerin's number, in the end he went with his own as he wasn't sure Chaerin would appreciate him handing her number out to random people.

Even if she'd been on a date with them.

“All right,” he said, handing him his phone back, “I'll see you around then?”

“Yeah,” Seunghyun said and this time turned around for real.


	2. Saturday Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday night drinking, budding friendships and the world of Twitter.

 

 

Seunghyun and he had been texting quite regularly by now. There wasn't a set time for it – sometimes Seunghyun wouldn't let himself be heard for days and then he'd suddenly send a text in the dead of night or during class or at any moment Jiyong wasn't expecting it.

Jiyong would like to say he did the same, but had sadly never been good at the waiting game and therefore always responded immediately.

Maybe that came across as desperate, but then again, they were just (budding?) friends so it wasn't like any dating etiquette applied. And with that comforting knowledge, Jiyong pressed 'send' on his eight text that day.

 

 

Jiyong hadn't given Seunghyun's number to Chaerin because neither of them had asked about it. And, well, like the proverb said: better let sleeping dogs lie.

 _Until_ one morning over breakfast his roommate slash friend asked him whom he'd been texting with.

Jiyong bit his nail, strangely feeling caught in the act while there wasn't really an act to be caught in. As in. He hadn't done anything wrong. Except maybe omitting certain information.

“Eh – Seunghyun.”

“Seunghyun as in my _date_ Seunghyun?” Chaerin looked up from the toast she was preparing. 

“That'd be the one,” Jiyong answered. When she arched an eyebrow he shrugged casually, or at least something that passed for casually, because he'd never felt entirely comfortable under her scrutinizing gaze.

“I ran into him like a week ago,” he elaborated, still very casually. “We ended up chatting for a bit and I thought he was nice. If you want I can also give you his number,” he added, remembering that had sort of been the whole reason he'd asked Seunghyun's number in the first place.

“Oh. Well, better late than never, I suppose. But you know, I'm not really a text person.”

She paused, applying a final layer of jam on her toast. “It might be nice to meet up again though,” she continued. “With the four of us, I mean.”

Jiyong nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed, “shall I text them now?”

“Sure. Just don't make it a Wednesday because that's when my yoga class is; or this Thursday or Friday as I have a big paper coming up.”

“When exactly  _can_ you meet up?”

“Just make it a Saturday,” Chaerin sighed and took a bite out of her toast.

 

 

 

_I'd love to! Looking forward to it kekeke >_< _ (Dara, 5 minutes later)

 

_Sounds good, see you both then_ (Seunghyun, 5 hours later)

 

 

 

They'd agreed to meet up at the main square of town, from which they could choose from a multitude of Saturday night drinking options.

“Étoile is nice,” Chaerin suggested as she and Jiyong approached the main square, her heels echoing on the pavement with every step.

“Uhuh,” Jiyong agreed. “Fills up very fast though, we can always head to La Place.”

As was every Saturday night the case, it was crowded in the center part of town: people passing each other on the streets in large groups, chattering loudly and occasionally shouting things at one other. Most of them were students – it's what you got in a small town with a big university.

Now and then Jiyong's gaze lingered at one of the people passing by – more accurately, at the dress, shoes, bag or hat they were wearing. The student scene wasn't particularly known for its amazing fashion sense, but now and then he spotted something good and it made his fingers itch. Whether that was to get his fingers on the clothing or the person wearing them, was in some cases more clear than others.

This night he'd opted for skinny jeans, boots and a simple white v-shaped tee. Sometimes less was more – or his own version of 'less', anyhow, which came with a multitude of accessories. That was simply a necessity.

It was nine 'o clock when they arrived at the main square. Dara was already there, waiting on the edge of the fountain. She looked cute as ever.

Chaerin hugged her by way of greeting. Though Jiyong hadn't planned on doing the same, he could hardly stay behind now and so followed suit. He had to bend down slightly to wrap his arms around her waist, which was a nice change from always being the shortest one.

“Have you been waiting long?” Chaerin inquired when the greeting part was over and done with.

“No, only for a short while,” Dara answered.

“Good. By the way, I like your jacket. Carven?”

As the two girls started a fashion-related conversation (which ought to interest him like nothing else) he looked around for Seunghyun. Somehow it didn't surprise him the other guy would be late. Seemed oddly fitting.

A minute later, however, he spotted a tall figure coming their way. Jiyong immediately looked the other way, pretending he hadn't been on the look-out just now.

“Oh, there's Seunghyun!” Dara exclaimed as she also spotted him. She waved, and Jiyong turned around in time to see him wave back, a dopey smile on his face. It looked oddly cute, contrasted with how dashing he looked in black.

Well. Dashing really _was_ the word to use in this context.

When he reached them, he smiled at Dara in acknowledgment, then turned towards Jiyong, then Chaerin. (This order did not escape Jiyong and it might make him childishly – pathetically – pleased).

“Hello,” Seunghyun greeted, “wait, am I late?”

“Yes,” Jiyong said, even though he was still grinning, “we've been waiting for ages.”

“No, we haven't,” Chaerin said, rolling her eyes. “But we'd better go now lest everything has filled up completely.”

There was an awkward moment then in which none of them were sure whom they should walk next to en route to the pub – but in the end it fell back to their original line-up, with Chaerin (and Seunghyun) leading the way and Dara and himself following suit.

He felt oddly disappointed. That had nothing to do with the lovely girl next to him – it's just that he'd like to know if Seunghyun had managed to hand in his assignment on time (the topic of their latest text convo) or the reason he'd been late tonight or where he got that great jacket from.

All right, so maybe he just wanted to talk to him.

 

 

 

Étoile indeed proved to be full when they arrived, and so they headed for La Place – a cosy bar already packed with students, but they managed to squeeze in and find a place near the bar.

“Two red wine, a beer and a gin tonic please,” Chaerin placed their orders. The barman smiled appraisingly at her before turning around to get their orders, and Jiyong could not blame him – she looked stunning in black. Chaerin, well aware of this, leaned back against the bar and looked pleased by all accounts.

“I've never been here before,” Dara said next to him.

“What?” Jiyong said as he leaned in closely. The rowdiness of the pub made it hard to make out conversation.

“I've never been here before,” Dara repeated in his ear.

Just as Jiyong nodded, Chaerin asked, “What's that?”

“It's her first time here,” Jiyong said in a loud tone.

This wasn't going to work.

As Dara moved closer to Chaerin to continue the conversation, Jiyong turned around to Seunghyun. The other guy nodded at him and quite without being able to help it, Jiyong smiled brightly. There wasn't really a reason for it, he just did.

As there had been none yet, alcohol could not be blamed – although... the prospect of booze surely was enough to make one feel giddy in and of itself? Surely.

And more booze there was. With every beer or mix drink Jiyong got progressively giddier and – in true affectionate-drunk style – progressively handsier, which was spread out evenly on his three companions. Though perhaps with a slight bias towards Seunghyun, but that was only because the other guy stood right next to him.

Chaerin, meanwhile, got louder and louder, as she was wont to do with a few wines in her circulation. At one point she even performed a live rendition of Let It Go for them, after having being dared to by Dara, which was fun. Dara herself also gave it a go, and surprisingly well at that. After which Seunghyun clearly couldn't resist joining in, which was... less successful but considerably hilarious.

Speaking of Seunghyun – his alcohol tolerance far surpassed Jiyong's, as the other guy still managed to stand perfectly straight while Jiyong had to keep himself upright with a little help of the bar counter and a lot of help from Seunghyun, whom he leaned heavily on. Jiyong could feel his body heat radiate through his jacket and it made him pleasantly dizzy.

“Selfie time!” Dara sing-songed, giddy on one too many wine, as she raised her smartphone. While they huddled together to fit in the frame and smiled broadly at the screen, Jiyong thought it could not get better than this.

 

 

 

It didn't get better. Because the next morning, he awoke with a burning headache.

“Remind me not to do that again,” Chaerin blearily said, seated at the kitchen table with her head rested on her hands, hair unkempt.

“Okay,” Jiyong said, too miserable to argue that such warnings likely were to have no effect.

He sleepily checked his phone. Dara had sent him the selfie from last night – their smiles oblivious and happy, Chaerin's arms around Dara's waist, Seunghyun's hand on his right shoulder.

And despite his aching head, he thought again that: yeah, that had been fun.

 

 

 

 

It was a week later, mid-October having arrived, when Jiyong came home to find the two girls seated in the living room. They were fully immersed in whatever it was they were doing (giggling while hunched over a laptop and eating snacks) so they only took note of Jiyong's presence when he'd stood in the living room for a while and pointedly announced himself.

“Oh hey, Jiyong!” Dara greeted cheerfully, “nice place.”

“Thanks,” Jiyong said. He looked questioningly at Chaerin, who wore her usual stay-at-home sweatpants, though he did notice she'd brushed her hair.

“Oh, Dara's helping me with this social media project for school,” Chaerin explained. “She'd offered to help last Saturday when I said I got stuck. Turns out I still got a lot to learn.”

“Very true,” Dara nodded sagely.

“Oi,” Chaerin said, but it was without any ire. In fact, Jiyong noticed that she was looking at Dara with a distinct certain fondness. Saturday night drinking really was the best way to get close, then.

“Now you just need to get a Twitter,” Dara said with admittedly admirable enthusiasm.

“Not going to happen,” Chaerin declared.

Jiyong grinned. That answer was to be expected. “Hey, can I have some of those?” he asked as he pointed towards the M&M's in the bowl.

Chaerin held out the bowl towards him. “Sure, if you then retreat to your room.”

Jiyong thought it kind of ironic that he had to leave her alone with the very person he'd introduced her to, but didn't say so. After all, he had a paper to write. And a deadline creeping closer every minute.

Shit.

“Good luck,” he said, grabbing a handful of snacks and shuffling towards his room on his socks.

Dara was going to need it if she meant business with her Twitter mission.

 

 

 

But as it turned out, Sandara Park was either a highly skilled manipulator or simply irresistible because Jiyong had to hit 'follow' on Chaerin's account that same afternoon. Thus far she hadn't used it much – her welcome selfie being pretty much the only post.

Still. “Welcome to the modern world” he'd tweeted her, which she hadn't faved but had replied to with a 'happy whatever' emoji. So Sandara Park had also introduced her to the world of emojis. She'd been busy indeed.

He checked his Twitter feed as he walked to the college bistro where he'd agreed to meet up with Seungri, the weather noticeably more cold and windy from the weeks before. Jacket weather; and hot coffee weather.

There was someone else conspicuously absent from his Twitter list: Seunghyun. The other guy seemed to be as averse to social media as could be for someone their age (or any form of modern communication at that, if his fickle text replies were anything to go by). Jiyong honestly couldn't even imagine what Seunghyun's tweets would look like – inspirational quotes? Funny facts? Selfies?

In the last case he'd easily amass a hundred likes an hour, looking the way he did. Handsome bastard.

He folded his phone away in the inside pocket of his jacket as he stepped over the threshold over the bistro. This time of day the place was always busy, but scanning around Jiyong could see Seungri'd managed to get them a corner table near the window. As of now, his friend seemed engrossed in taking selfies as he pouted at his smarthphone.

Jiyong grinned. Sneakily, he crept up towards Seungri, who was seated with his back towards him – until he clapped him on the shoulders.

Seungri yelped, and quickly turned around.

“Jiyong-hyung!” he said, “you scared me.”

Jiyong grinned as he let himself fall in the chair opposite him. “Sorry, did I interrupt your selfie time?”

Seungri sniffed, unperturbed as ever. “You can mock me, but these were good photos, hyung. Today is a good hair day.”

“Uh-huh,” Jiyong said, still grinning, as he casually scanned the menu card. Pumpkin cake was half the prize right now. Maybe should get some of that.

“Those pics for your girlfriend?” he asked as he signaled for the waitress.

Seungri made a non-committal sound, which was probably a yes. Seungri always had these girls hanging around him, only half of which Jiyong got to meet.

As the waitress arrived at their table – a pretty cute girl, he couldn't help but notice – he placed his order, with Seungri ordering an extra latte macchiato with whipped cream and cinnamon.

“Cappuccino not good enough anymore for you now?” Jiyong quipped as he watched the waitress walk away.

“It's nice, you should try it,” Seungri said with his usual energetic confidence and Jiyong grinned. He tended to do that a lot in Seungri's company.

Five minutes later, as their coffees and pie had arrived, Seungri looked at him expectedly. “So,” he said, “are you and Sandara still hanging out?”

“Yeah,” Jiyong said, taking a sip from the foam of his coffee and relishing it for a second. “Chaerin and her seem to have become good friends,” he added as an after-thought.

“Huh? Chaerin?” Seungri said as he looked at him with comically big eyes. “So she can be actually nice to some people, huh.”

Jiyong snorted as he took a bite from his pie. Seungri and she might always act like they didn't like each other, but he knew that deep down they secretly did. Only they'd never admit to it while still alive and breathing.

“Dara was helping her with some social media project the other day. She even got Chaerin to sign up for Twitter, which is a major accomplishment.”

“She's got that charm,” Seungri said as though it was completely self-explanatory.

Jiyong raised his eyebrows. “You like her?”

“Of course I do,” Seungri said. “No, no, not like that,” he hurriedly added in answer to Jiyong's look, “as a _friend._ You know she can be really funny.”

“Yeah, I got some of that the night we went out. Even though I didn't always get what she meant.”

“She's funnier than you, hyung. No offense.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“So,” Seungri continued in one go, “what about Seunghyun?”

Jiyong chocked on his coffee. “What about him?” he said, feigning innocence.

Seungri pretended he hadn't noticed Jiyong's misstep, even though he obviously had, because he noticed everything.

“Well, do you like him?” Seungri elaborated.

“Sure,” Jiyong said, “yeah, we've become friends, of sorts. Have been texting a lot lately.”

“Really?” Seungri seemed surprised at that.

“Well,” Jiyong amended, “ _I_ have been texting and Seunghyun, you know, sometimes responds.”

Seungri nodded. “That sounds more like Seunghyun. But you know, the fact that he texts you back is something in itself. He usually completely ignores mine.”

Jiyong smirked. It was probably pathetic to be happy about that, but you know what, he didn't care.

“He's kind of weird, isn't he?” Seungri said as he enthusiastically munched on his pie, brow furrowed like he was really giving the matter some thought. “But he's really handsome, so, you know, it doesn't matter. Appearances are a doorway to success,” Seungri concluded as though quoting someone. Probably one of his how-to-be-successful self-help books.

“Uh-huh,” Jiyong said. Best not to ask for details lest Seungri pressed him again to read one of them. Besides – it's not like Jiyong could counter any of his points. About the handsome bit. And the weirdness.

“You know, I knew you'd like him,” Seungri stated, as though this was the satisfactory conclusion to a question they'd been discussing just now.

“What?” Jiyong said. He felt his face doing a lot of things at once. Not at all the neutral expression he was going for.

“Aahh, you know,” Seungri commented vaguely – and Jiyong didn't know.

Or maybe he did.

And that was sort of the whole problem.


	3. Movie Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Text convos, mid-terms and movie dates.

 

The last week of October marked a temporary end of their classes, an occasion which got celebrated by cramming for the upcoming mid-terms. Jiyong's strategy usually consisted of locking himself in his room and not leaving until he was done. Once he actually got started and got into the flow of things, things were all right – the starting bit rather was the problem.

See, Jiyong could be motivated about a lot of things, but the subject matter of his classes wasn't one of them. It wasn't like he could see himself using it once he left college.

_It wasn't music._

Jiyong sighed, and opened up the next text book. It'd be over in a few days.

 

 

 

The morning of his first exam, he ran into Chaerin in the kitchen. They hadn't seen each other much all week: Chaerin had been staying in the library all day while Jiyong had been hoarded up in his room, accompanied by his books and a necessary amount of coffee.

“Hey,” Chaerin said. Her voice sounded raspy, like she hadn't slept enough. She seemed to realise it herself, as she gave an annoyed look and commented, “Ugh, I can't wait for this to be over and sleep for two days straight.”

“Same,” Jiyong said with probably a little too much longing in his voice. It was just that right about now, that seemed the ideal scenario. And very unattainable, as was usually the case with ideal scenarios.

“Coffee?” he offered instead, the next best thing.

“Nah, I'll grab some on the way,” Chaerin answered. “I'm going over there now as I want to be on location a little earlier. You good luck, yeah?”

“Thanks, you too,” Jiyong replied.

He held up his hand and said, “High five for extra luck?”

Chaerin regarded him with something in-between disbelief and amusement. “What are you, like five?” she said, though he could tell she kind of wanted to.

“C'mon,” Jiyong pressed and waved his hand in mid-air for good measure.

Chaerin rolled her eyes but then clapped his hand.

“You're a kid,” she muttered as she headed for the door, but Jiyong could see it was said with a smile.

 

 

 

One exam was followed by another, and another – until on Wednesday he could finally take a breather as there weren't any scheduled for tomorrow.

Chaerin wasn't so lucky and was headed for the library once more for a late-night study session. It was just him in the apartment this evening, splayed out on the couch. An empty pizza box graced the coffee table, his reward for making it so far. His body felt slightly lethargic – a welcome change from the constant stress.

There was a soap being shown on tv, which Jiyong only payed half attention to. It was a re-run anyway, and Jiyong already knew how it'd end: Jack would end up with Angie and they'd kiss. The end.

He probably ought to get up and take a shower, but explicitly did not feel like moving. Instead he aimlessly checked his phone. Hardly any updates: it was a quiet evening in social media land.

As he he scrolled his whatsapp list, wondering whom to text to alleviate his boredom, his finger stopped at Seunghyun's name. He hadn't texted him all mid-term.

 _hey how's it going?_ he typed out before he could think better of it and pressed 'send.'

He dropped his phone next to him, not expecting an answer until at least the next morning. He glanced at the television screen just in time to see Jack gather his courage and kiss Angie. _See._

An unexpected bleep diverted his attention from the screen. Picking up his phone, he scanned his new message with surprise.

_Will be happy once mid-terms are over. You?_

That must have been the fastest Seunghyun had ever replied. Either he really was keen on avoiding his studying or... Jiyong squashed his last treacherous (entirely too hopeful) thought and instead texted a quick reply:

_avoiding studying are you now? ;)_

Did he really just send a winky face? Oh well.

s _omething about the pot calling the kettle black...?_

 _easy w/ the metaphors literature student_ he replied with a grin, then added:

_also not avoiding anything bc I'm free tonight sooo_

Did that sound too much like an invitation? Jiyong frowned at the screen, watching the '…' as Seunghyun typed a reply. Honestly, he'd missed this – the over-analysing of texts, the anxious waiting for a reply.

It was pathetic, but then it was also true. Those two often seemed to go hand in hand lately.

A new text had popped up on screen.

w _e should go celebrate once it's over :)_

Jiyong stared at the smiley emoticon, dimly aware it was a copy of his current face.

 _yes! sounds good!!_ he replied with uncensored enthusiasm, thinking (hoping) that Seunghyun's idea of celebrating was the same as his: music, drinks, and whatever followed from that.

He could not wait for this week to be over.

 

 

 

 

 

The day the exams finally ended, Jiyong proposed to his roommate they go out to celebrate.

He'd asked Seunghyun to make good on that promise from before, but his friend was preoccupied otherwise as his family were in town for a visit. And either way, Jiyong was hoping for a somewhat more... private meeting this time instead of their previous group dates. Or whatever the name for those occasions had been.

“Can't, already have plans,” Chaerin replied. “Hey, can I borrow your white jacket for tonight? Mine's in the laundry.”

“The Zara one you mean? Sure,” Jiyong answered. Advantages of having a roommate with virtually the same size as you: bigger wardrobe to pick from.

“Where you going, anyway?” he asked as Chaerin hopped off the couch to fetch his jacket.

“Cinema,” came the reply from his room. He heard her rummage through his closet. Trying to find a piece among hundreds of garments was probably a challenge, but hey, he _was_ very organized.

“Cinema? With whom?” Chaerin hardly ever went to the movies.

“Oh, with Dara, she wanted to see the new Avengers movie, so... ah, _gotcha,”_ he heard her exclaim as she evidently had found the garment in question.

And a few seconds later she indeed emerged victoriously from his room, jacket in hand.

“I hope you haven't messed up my closet too much,” Jiyong said half-seriously (okay, maybe like totally seriously).

“'Course I haven't,” Chaerin dismissed his concern, and Jiyong made a mental note to check later. “Anyway, I'll be there by eight, so I'm gonna take a shower now.”

And Jiyong watched her walk to her room to get her stuff. Right. Time to check who was up for his plans instead.

 

 

 

Chaerin had agreed to meet Dara at her place. Their apartment was on the other side of the town, so she took the bus for the first part – no way she was gonna cycle in this cold, screw that – and walked the remaining bit. Dara had texted instructions beforehand, and though she surely would have found her way without them, it was easy enough to follow them.

After a few minutes she'd reached the right apartment building, one made of reddish brick and about five floors high. Chaerin scanned the residents list next to the door and buzzed the second to last doorbell. After only a few seconds, a metallic voice sprang to life over the intercom – one that she still could recognise as belonging to Dara – which announced, 'Hey! Door's open!'

And surely enough, the heavy door swung open. Chaerin opened her mouth to reply, but before she could do so the telephonic connection had already been cut off. Chaerin frowned as she stepped inside, thinking that Dara really ought to switch the order around of letting her visitors in first and verifying them after.

She had to climb two chairs before she reached a blue door that was slightly ajar. A glance at the name tag next to it proved that it was the correct one.

As she peeked inside, a voice (less metallic and more cheerfully human this time) greeted her, saying: “Come on in!” Shortly after it was followed by Dara's head as the girl peeked around one of the doors in the hallway, mascara in hand.

“Sorry, I was just finishing up. Welcome to our humble palace,” she added solemnly, gesturing around with the make-up tool still in place.

The theatrics of it made Chaerin smile. It was just so out of there, yet completely sincere.

“It seems nice,” she agreed, perhaps more to halt her thought process than in actual answer to Dara's comment. “You know what, you go finish up and I”ll just –” She gestured vaguely in the direction of what she assumed to be the living room.

“OK,” Dara said enthusiastically, “you can meet Bom!”

And so, as Dara retreated into the bathroom, Chaerin swung open the door towards the living room. She was greeted by what could only be Dara's roommate. The other girl was lounging on the couch in a comfy dress, her long legs exposed even though it was halfway November. Objectively speaking they were great legs, though.

“Hi,” Chaerin greeted.

“Hello,” Bom greeted back, halting her eating movement. Chaerin couldn't really make out the food, but it suspiciously looked like corn.

Well, that was interesting.

The two girls seized each other up. Finally Bom said, “You must be Chaerin.”

“I am,” Chaerin agreed. She helpfully, and perhaps tactfully, added: “I like your dress.”

Bom narrowed her eyes as though she knew exactly what was going on (trading compliments was ground rule number one for getting in a girl's good graces, please) but it seemed to work anyway. She patted her dress, pleased despite herself.

“Thanks,” she accepted the compliment, “it's H&M.”

“Hmm.”

There was a pause again, and then Bom suddenly dropped her weary attitude as though it had been old clothes and said urgently, almost apologetically: “You know, I'm only looking out for Dara. I only want the best for her.” Her eyes had become big, like one of those cute dolls. Chaerin thought this transformation rather fascinating. Again.

“I know,” Chaerin said, even though she _didn't_ really because she'd only just met Bom. But you know, wanting to protect your friends – she did get that.

“Dara always believes the best of people, so she can get hurt. I don't want her to get hurt,” Bom added with a momentarily return of the stern gaze.

“No, I – of course I don't want that either. I really like her, you know,” Chaerin answered.

Which, well. Was the truth.

Bom seemed satisfied. “Want something to eat? Got pie and sweet corn.” Chaerin recognised it for the peace offer it was (ground rule number two for good relationships among girls: food) but politely declined.

“I'm good, thanks.”

Just then Dara appeared in the living room. She'd done her hair up in a high ponytail and had applied a little bit of make-up. She looked fresh, more so than usual anyway.

Chaerin smiled at her. Dara smiled back, somewhat bashful.

“Unnie, you sure you don't want to borrow my shoes?” Bom interjected, interrupting the moment.

“No, I'm good Bommie, thanks,” Dara replied. Chaerin noticed she was wearing flats. Smart girl. Chaerin did like her heels, but knew how to appreciate comfy shoes. You had to pick your moments and all that.

“Okay, don't be late,” Bom replied, resuming her role of Responsible Roommate, “and have fun on your date.”

“Oh, it's not a – ” Chaerin started before noticing she was the only one contradicting Bom's words. She trailed off and cleared her throat. “Right, thanks,” she finished, feeling uncommonly flustered.

“Shall we go?” Dara asked, seemingly oblivious. “We might be late for the film otherwise.”

“Yes. It was nice meeting you,” she said to Bom as a way of good-bye, and actually meant it. In-between Seunghyun and Bom, Dara seemed to have her share of interesting friends.

“Yeah, we should go out for drinks some time!” Bom said enthusiastically.

“Uh, sure thing,” Chaerin said, feeling she'd just been officially accepted as friend or... whatever. (Step three for friendly relationships among girls: tequila and martinis).

Dara and she left the building in good spirits. Fortunately it was a calm night: the stormy weather of the past few days had been replaced by a quiet chill, reminder of the season to come.

“Aren't you cold?”she asked as she looked sideways at Dara, who was wearing what seemed to be only a thin jacket.

“A little, maybe,” the girl acknowledged, and mimicked shivering while rubbing her arms over her shoulders. Chaerin didn't know if that acting came natural or if it was an exaggeration, but it was cute either way.

“Have my scarf,” Chaerin offered, “before you catch pneumonia.”

“Oh no, I couldn't,” Dara said, “what if you fall sick?”

“I'm made of stronger stuff than that,” she whisked away her concern. “I mean – not that you aren't, but you seem cold, so.”

“All right,” Dara finally accepted. She took the garment and graciously tied it around her neck. While Chaerin couldn't see well in the dark, she knew the auburn colour would suit her brown hair well.

Dara smiled as they walked on. “It's kind of funny, isn't it?”

“What is?”

“In a way we actually met because of a scarf. Or that's how we started talking, when I'd lost mine and you offered to help find it.”

“Oh,” Chaerin said, remembering that sunlit October morning. “I'd never looked at it that way.”

“It's almost like in the tv dramas.”

“I don't really watch those,” Chaerin replied, realising it was a futile comment mostly said in order to keep her mind from thinking. Thinking that all this felt weirdly romantic, for example.

Or perhaps more like pleasantly romantic.

Her mind should commence that stop-thinking thing now.

 

 

 

The movie was pretty cool, with lots of special effects and action scenes. She might not go to the cinema too often, but when you did you might as well do it big, Chaerin mused as she looked at the big screen, contentedly munching on her popcorn.

They'd only ordered one box (albeit a very giant one, what was up with these cinema sizes?), so occasionally their hands brushed. This was not a sly scheme on her side – rather more a case of Dara proposing they share a box as they weren't very hungry and Chaerin reasonably agreeing. Even though Dara had bought the sweet popcorn and she herself was more a fan of the salt one. Small compromises, though.

Dara seemed pretty absorbed in the movie, but once in a while she'd look sideways and they exchanged small smiles. Covered by the darkness of the room, Chaerin's chest felt a little warm.

In the break Dara talked excitedly about the movie, displaying a surprising knowledge of the entire franchise and admitting she was a bit of a geek. It was cute. Seeing all these new sides to her friend – it was interesting. It's like you didn't know what was around the corner but you couldn't wait to find out.

And it was also a fairly unfamiliar feeling, because although Chaerin _was_ curious, the novelty of people was usually quickly lost on her. She just couldn't be invested in everyone around her unless there was a genuine interest.

They ordered two cokes to add to their sugar quota – “my treat,” Chaerin insisted – and then took their drinks back to their plushy seats, like teenagers on a Friday night. They giggled a little as Dara proposed a toast with their soda cups.

“To a great night,” Dara said as their cups bumped.

And you know what: it already was.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts so far? :)


	4. Coffeeshop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clubbing, coffeeshops and crushes.

 

 

The night Chaerin went to the cinema with Dara, Jiyong hit the club with Youngbae and Seungri. They'd chosen Octagon as the venue for their post-exam celebration, a club which compensated its expensive entrance fee with excellent music. Jiyong felt all stress from the past two weeks leave him as a heavy bass sound greeted him – some might say sleep or money was the best solution to one's problem, but Jiyong would counter-argue it was music.

As it was a Friday night the club was crowded, but Jiyong liked that. Liked the feel of people's bodies pressed against his. He needed the energy, the affection, the attention, even if it was (mostly) unintentional. Being alone wasn't his forte, is what it was.

Seungri was soon off to whichever corner of the room the prettiest girls happened to be, so it was just him and his longest-standing friend in the crowd. Youngbae was meticulous in his dancing, always garnering a handful of impressed stares. In the years before college his friend had regularly attended dance lessons and still liked to practice by himself. Jiyong's dancing was more instinctive: he needn't think when the music was on, his body did it for him.

After a pretty exhaustive forty minutes of dancing, Jiyong's body was gleaming with sweat. He beckoned Youngbae and signaled towards the bar. A drink was in order.

Youngbae seemed to think much the same way, wiping the sweat from his brow as he ordered a coke with the busy bar lady. No alcohol for him.

They leaned against the bar side by side, overlooking the dance crowd in front of them. From here it looked like one moving collective instead of a group of individuals. Youngbae drank his coke with relish as Jiyong twirled the mini-parasol from his drink between his fingers. The orange colour stood out against the black of his jeans.

“So, who is it?” Youngbae said mildly after a comfortable silence (silence against the backdrop of loud bass, that is).

“Eh?” Jiyong's attention was still with the crowd.

“Who's the girl?” Youngbae clarified with a knowing look, because he was his best friend and could read him like a book.

Except in this instance, anyhow.

“There's no-one,” Jiyong huffed somewhat annoyed, and untruthfully. But because he sucked at lying, at least when his best friend was involved, he added against better judgment: “There's no girl.”

That, at least, was the truth.

“ _Ah_ ,” Youngbae said meaningfully, effortlessly catching on to the nuance of his reply.

“Let's talk about it another time,” Jiyong said, because a) he didn't feel like having that conversation right now, b) he was about to meet with Seunghyun tomorrow and he'd like to see how that panned out first and c) most importantly, Rihanna had just come on and it was a disgrace not to dance to Rihanna, so.

Downing the last of his drink, he moved to the dance floor again, Youngbae in tow. Soon he lost himself once more in the movements.

See, it's not like it was a _secret_ that he'd also had crushes on guys. Too many good-looking folk in this world not to, in his humble opinion. It's just that he'd never really _done_ anything with those crushes apart from shallow admiring and the occasional (veering into frequent when tipsy) flirting.

And maybe right now, in-between the text messages and meet-ups with Seunghyun, he was rather hoping that was about to change.

 

 

 

 

The café he'd agreed to meet Seunghyun was unfamiliar to Jiyong. Seunghyun had suggested it, saying it was a place he liked to frequent.

Jiyong checked Google maps once more to see how close he was. He was running late, having overslept thanks to the clubbing the night before. The text he'd sent Seunghyun had yet to be replied to. Typically.

He'd never been around this neighbourhood much, a relatively quiet area south of the bustling center. It was charming though, with older buildings and several interesting-looking art shops. He ought to check those out later. Maybe together with Seunghyun, if he hadn't ruined any prospects of that with his tardiness.

Jiyong stopped his speed-walking when he finally spotted the café. 'Orchard' the sign read. He quickly – maybe more like thoroughly – checked his reflection in the window of the furniture shop next to it. The beanie covering his bed-head was mostly a means to an end, but could be read as fashion accessory all the same. The ultimate hangover look.

Good to go, he pushed open the door of the café. Wooden paneling and a jazzy tune greeted him. A quick glance at the bar showed him that yeah, this was something else from his staple Friday night bar, all right. Wine bottles lined the entirety of the wall.

Seunghyun was easily spotted as there weren't many customers in yet. He was sat at a table near the window, hunched over. _Writing_ , Jiyong realised. He stopped in his tracks to look, both because he was unsure whether to interrupt and to take in the picture.

It could be a scene from a film noir, this. Man writing in a jazzy café on a Saturday morning.

 _Stalker guy watching from afar,_ his brain helpfully added, which started his legs into motion. Right.

“Hey,” he greeted as he approached Seunghyun's table.

The other guy looked up. “Hey,” he replied in a somewhat surprised tone, though his smile was warm. It made Jiyong's chest tingle pleasantly.

“Didn't want to interrupt you,” Jiyong said as he watched Seunghyun file away his notebook. Jiyong wished he didn't. He rather wanted to see what was written on it.

“It's fine,” Seunghyun said, “I was just passing the time.”

About that.

“Sorry I'm late,” he said as he took off his jacket and hung it around the back of his chair. “Did you get my text?”

“Yeah, I heard but hadn't come around to checking it yet.”

Jiyong snorted, sitting down opposite him. “Figures.”

Seunghyun gracefully ignored the jab and instead asked: “Rough night?”

Which, okay. It was Jiyong's turn to scowl.

“Shows then, does it?”

Seunghyun smiled a little sheepishly at him. “Nah, just a hunch. You look fine.”

Which was enough to transform Jiyong's scowl into a bright smile. As Chaerin probably would've commented: too easy.

“Was great fun yesterday, pity you couldn't come,” Jiyong said in a fruitless attempt to divert attention from his beaming face.

“Next time,” Seunghyun promised him.

Right then the owner appeared at their table. From the way Seunghyun greeted him, it was clear he was a regular at the place: they appeared to be on first-name basis.

“What can I get you?” the man asked.

“An Irish coffee, please,” Seunghyun ordered.

Seeing as he was still in the process of undoing his hangover, maybe alcohol wasn't the best idea right now. “Just a regular one for me,” Jiyong said.

As the man walked away to get their orders, Jiyong turned to Seunghyun with a grin. “You're the only one I know who orders Irish coffee at eleven a.m.”

“Helps me get started,” Seunghyun said jokingly, and Jiyong's grin widened.

“Is that like a writers thing?”

Seunghyun's look turned a bit self-conscious. “I'm not a writer.”

“But you want to be.”

Seunghyun didn't object to that. Jiyong leaned forward, propelled by his curiosity.

“Can I see what you were writing just now?”

“No,” Seunghyun said.

Jiyong pouted. “Please?”

Seunghyun shifted in his seat. “Outside my writing class I don't really let anyone see. It feels weird.”

“I'll let you hear my songs in return,” Jiyong promptly offered. He hadn't really thought it through before he'd said it, but there it was.

Seunghyun seemed to actually consider this. “All right,” he finally said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. You promised to let me hear them ages ago, anyway.”

Jiyong remembered their conversation outside of campus, back in October. _I just want to do music,_ he'd said, strangely open towards someone he barely knew. But Seunghyun had nodded understandingly, wearing that blue hoodie of his.

He strangely wanted to see that again.

“You can stop by our apartment later this week,” Jiyong offered, a faint feeling of excitement starting to bloom in his stomach. Yeah, it'd be nerve-wrecking to show him his songs, but he'd get something in return. And there was plenty of time to worry about that later, anyhow.

The owner reappeared at their table to hand them their coffees.

“Thanks,” Jiyong said and gratefully took a sip from his cup. Caffeine was just what was needed in times like these.

Seunghyun's beverage seemed to have the same effect on him. He seemed undeterred by the alcohol by all accounts: definitely a stronger stomach than Jiyong, then.

“So, did you have a good time with your family?” he asked after a small drinking pause.

“Yeah,” Seunghyun answered. “I showed them around town a bit and then we had dinner at The Peacock. You know that place near the square?”

Jiyong did know, and also knew the menu prices far exceeded his student budget.

“Kinda fancy, isn't it? Food must be good,” Jiyong said.

“The pasta is great,” Seunghyun agreed with a happy dimpled smile and Jiyong's chest did _that thing_ again.

You know. The 'feeling warm for no apparent reason' thing, other than the guy in front of him seeming happy about food. They had that in common then though, so that was great.

Seunghyun took his phone from his pocket. “I could show you a pic if you want? We took some yesterday.”

Jiyong looked up. “Yeah,” he said, probably a little too eagerly.

It seemed to work for Seunghyun though, as he proceeded to swipe through his phone's gallery to conjure up some pics.

“Here,” Seunghyun said after a moment, as he showed him a picture of yesterday's meal. And okay, yeah, even in his current hangover state Jiyong wouldn't say no to that.

“We should go there,” Jiyong said without really thinking about it.

Seunghyun didn't agree, but then he also didn't _disagree_ – and if the little smile on his face was anything to go by, Jiyong ventured it was closer to the first than the second.

Seunghyun swiped to the left, and a picture of his family appeared. Him seated next to an older girl who appeared to be his sister, and an elegant woman who was evidently his mother. For a moment Seunghyun seemed to want to swipe on, but then stilled his finger.

“I can see where you got your good looks from,” Jiyong remarked cheekily (though entirely accurately). In the short time he'd gotten to know Seunghyun, the guy appeared to be quite private about his family life. Jiyong felt privileged, somehow, to get to see this. Light-heartedness seemed the best route to take to diffuse any tension or awkwardness.

His comment seemed to have the desired effect, as a somewhat baffled smile appeared on Seunghyun's face.

“If you start getting ideas about Hye Yoon noona, I'll have to fight you.”

“Don't worry, I'll be a good boy,” Jiyong said with a grin. And then, because Seunghyun was seated so close to him or perhaps because he simply couldn't resist: “Does that apply to all Chois?”

He cocked an eyebrow. Seunghyun wet his lips.

“Well. Maybe not _all_ ,” he said and that was all Jiyong wanted to hear.

 

 

 

 

Around noon, Jiyong and Seunghyun exited the café to look at some of the shops in the neighbourhood. As it turned out, Seunghyun had a surprising interest in art and furniture – though really, at this point maybe Jiyong should let go of surprise altogether as Seunghyun _always_ seemed to do the unexpected. He liked to listen to Seunghyun's passionate talks about some designer or another, winding down to a somewhat sheepish and self-conscious finish. Jiyong merely smiled in encouragement, which was enough to get him started again.

In-between, Jiyong looked at some clothing. The garments were without exception too expensive for his sorrow budget, but he got enough inspiration to find similar things elsewhere. Or make it himself, if need be.

When it was nearing two p.m, Jiyong's stomach reminded him he'd only eaten a grand total of one piece of toast today (everything he could muster before he'd had to rush out of the door this morning). And although he'd love to grab lunch with Seunghyun, at this point his bed beckoned as much as lunch did.

“Sorry, but I think my lack of sleep is catching up with me,” Jiyong said mournfully as they existed their eighth shop.

“No worries,” Seunghyun replied, “I've been there.” They stopped at the pavement, facing each other. “Better to pass out in bed than here on the pavement, right?” Seunghyun added as some kind of sage advise, and Jiyong had to grin at that.

“It's not _that_ bad,” he said, even though his body indignantly screamed the opposite. Yeah, okay, he really needed that sleep.

“So,” Jiyong said.

“So,” Seunghyun replied.

Right. The infamous doorstep moment. Or pavement, in this case.

“I'll see you again soon?”

“You're gonna have to show me your songs, remember?” Seunghyun said.

“Before you show me your writing, yeah,” Jiyong reminded him with a smile. “So we can text, set up a date.”

“Sounds good.”

They looked at each other. Seunghyun's fringe was windswept. Jiyong wanted to reach out and touch.

Before he could think about it, Jiyong took a step forward. One awkward moment it seemed as though his hug was not going to be reciprocated, but then Seunghyun finally caught on and did the same: his arms enclosing him fully. Jiyong slotted perfectly in-between them. Head lightly resting on the other guy's chest, Jiyong breathed out slowly.

He could detect the faint scent of an eau de cologne. It smelled musky.

When they finally let go, it seemed reluctant on both sides.

“All right, well, see you then,” Jiyong said a little breathlessly, mind still trailing a few seconds behind.

“See you,” Seunghyun replied, and his smile rather felt like a promise.

 

 

 

 

 

When he finally arrived home, Chaerin was lounging on the couch.

“Hey,” he greeted, mind already floating towards his bedroom.

“Hey,” she greeted back. She then took a critical look at him and commented, “You look terrible.”

Jiyong managed to scowl even in his sleep-deprived state, which he considered to be an achievement. “Hello to you too.”

Chaerin smiled somewhat conciliatory at him. “I take it last night was fun, then?”

“Yeah,” Jiyong said, as he looked around for something to eat. Sleeping was going to be difficult on an empty stomach, no matter how tired he might be.

Chaerin threw him a bag with chips, apparently reading his mind like the helpful roommate she was. “Here,” she said.

Jiyong gratefully took some. “You're an angel,” he said as he munched on them. “ _Sometimes_ ,” he edited himself, giving her a half-hearted glare. That was for the 'terrible' comment, anyhow.

Chaerin shrugged with a smile, undeterred. “Where were you headed from just now? Can't have been at Octagon all afternoon, can you?”

Jiyong shook his head, too engrossed in eating to answer at first. “I was with Seunghyun, met up in the south district,” he finally replied.

“Oh,” Chaerin said.

For such a short and infinitely vague answer, that  _oh_ could signify a lot of things. He looked up at her questioningly.

“Nice neighbourhood, isn't it?” Chaerin continued, leisurely winding a strand of hair around her finger.

Jiyong paused. “Yes,” he then said. “Its got great boutiques.”

Chaerin nodded. There was a silence. Then Jiyong threw the bag of chips back in her direction: binging on salt and fat might not be the wisest thing for his stomach right now.

He stretched his body, fully intending to finally fall onto his bed and not exit for the next twelve hours, before he remembered his roommate's plans yesterday evening.

“Before I forget, how was your night?”

“Oh, it was great,” Chaerin answered. Jiyong paused as he felt that she would add something, but after another second Chaerin merely repeated: “Yeah, it was just really great, you know.”

Jiyong nodded, shuffling in the direction of his bedroom at last.

He had the distinct feeling they were both not telling each other something.

 


End file.
